


Keys and sunflowers

by jane_dorne



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Neil and Andrew meet as kids, Nothing is explicitly describe but there are mentions of both Neil's and Andrew's trauma, Romantic Soulmates, Sad with a Happy Ending, Scars, Some Fluff, Some angst, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, mostly sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:19:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26213278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jane_dorne/pseuds/jane_dorne
Summary: Andrew and Abram meet in a mall when they are 13 and 12 respectively. A heart to heart and truth for truth ensues on a rooftop.This is a soulmate AU where you have tattoo that represents your soulmate.
Relationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Comments: 8
Kudos: 159





	Keys and sunflowers

**Author's Note:**

> This is just an idea that popped into my head and I had to write it. I didn't proofread or edit this because school starts back up tomorow and I just don't have the energy so I'm sorry in advance for any mistakes or typos.  
> For the warnings you can expect your cannon typical ones since both their back stories are talked about. I hope I didn't forget any in the tags but don't hesitate to tell me if I missed something.  
> Enjoy <3

Abram has a key tattooed on his left shoulder blade. It is a simple design like the outline of a house key; the kind everyone has on their key ring. Once he asked his mother what it meant. She explained with a pained expression that the design represented his soul mate; that somewhere in the world someone had a tattoo that represented Abram. She had also told him that soul mates were a bad thing and that he would be better off if he never met them. Abram believed her because he had seen the cleaver on the inside of his mother’s elbow and he knew what that meant. He had never seen his father’s soul mark but he didn’t need to. Hiding his soul mark was one of two reasons he never took his shirt off in public.

*****

Andrew has a sunflower tattooed on the inside of his right wrist. One of his foster mothers had explained to him what it was. Back then he had been curious enough to look up the symbolism of the flower _‘Sunflowers symbolize adoration, loyalty and longevity. Much of the meaning of sunflowers stems from its namesake, the sun itself. These flowers are unique in that they have the ability to provide energy in the form of nourishment and vibrancy—attributes which mirror the sun and the energy provided by its heat and light. Sunflowers are known for being “happy” flowers, making them the perfect gift to bring joy to someone’s (or your) day.’_ the website had said. But Andrew had been hurt and had long since concluded soul mates were stupid and pointless and that he never wanted to meet them. Hiding his soul mark was one of two reasons why he constantly wore armbands.

*****

Abram wandered aimlessly in the mall; going up and down staircases, just trying to blend in with the other shoppers. His mother had left him in the Oakland mall while she met up with one of her contacts to get them new IDs. To Abram that would mean a new name, a new story, a new place, a new appearance. He currently still looked like Alex with his light brown hair and clear blue eyes. The eye colour was his own – he wasn’t wearing Alex’s green contacts anymore.

Abram had a whole day to kill and he was bored. Browsing through shops without buying anything was only distracting for so long. He’d spent an hour in the book shop reading Exy magazines and another thirty minutes in the sports gear shop but now he’d used up all the activities he could think of. He wished he could just sit in a corner and nap to pass the time but that would immediately look suspicious so instead Abram walked around and carefully observed his surroundings.

After a while he started playing a game with himself. He would look at the shoppers and imagine what their lives where from the way they acted and looked. It wasn’t fun per se but it was enough to keep the boredom at bay.

For example the blond woman buying shoes a few shops over looked like she lived alone with at least three cats from all the feline hair coating her clothes. Or the man in the jewellery shop that was way too skittish, always looking over his shoulder, to be buying a gift for his wife.

Or the blond boy dressed in all black sitting on a bench. He looked to be about Abram’s age and as miserable as Abram always felt. Once he spotted him Abram couldn’t look away. There was something about him, a kind of sadness and despair that called to something inside Abram. He didn’t notice his feet were moving until he was standing in front of the blond boy.

“Are you okay?” Abram asked

The boy slowly looked up at him before speaking “Fucking peachy.” He deadpanned with a glare.

Abram thinks he should walk away. The boy obviously doesn’t want to talk and his mom always tells him to lay low and not to interact with anyone unless absolutely necessary. Abram doesn’t need to talk to this boy. He certainly doesn’t need to lift his spirits. It’s none of his business after all. But Abram is bored out of his mind and he’ll never come back to Oakland, CA anyways.

“I’m Abram.” He said, adrenaline coursing through his veins at using the name. Because it’s his real name –well his second name. It’s the one his mother uses, the one she used to enrol him in little leagues before they ran away. ‘Abram’ is a direct line for his father to follow right back to him.

“Andrew.” The boy –Andrew, said after a few seconds.

“Follow me” Abram offered while extending a hand.

Andrew eyed him suspiciously “Where to?” but he did get to his feet – he didn’t take Abram’s hand though.

“It’s a surprise.”

“I hate surprises.” So did Abram; surprises usually came to him in the form of men with knives and guns coming to kill him and his mom.

“Maybe you’ll like this one?”

“Okay.” Abram turned around and led the way through the mall. They went up several sets of stairs until they reached an ‘Employees only’ door on the topmost floor. Abram looked around to make sure no one saw them and slipped through the door, Andrew close behind him. They then silently wandered down a corridor and opened a door marked ‘Stairs’. On top of the staircase was another door than Abram new opened on the roof.

The door was locked so Abram got his wallet out of the old duffel bag he carried everywhere with him and retrieved his wallet from the front pocket. Inside he took the lock picking set that was carefully wrapped in a piece of cloth and set to work on the door. Thankfully it was a simple lock so Abram was able to open it without too much trouble.

His work done he triumphantly opened the door to show Andrew where they were. Andrew was not looking at the expense of sky in front of them though. His eyes were trained on the slender hooks in Abram’s hand.

“Will you teach me?” Abram was taken aback. He chastised himself for showing his skills in front of a complete stranger. He was sure to be remembered now. Andrew must have noticed his worried look because he quickly resumed talking before Abram could refuse. “Not for free obviously. I don’t have any money to pay you with but we could make a deal. What would you want in exchange?”

“Uhm, I- I don’t know if-“ Abram stuttered. He didn’t know what to do. His mother would want him to leave quickly before he did a bigger mistake but Abram didn’t want to. His mom wasn’t here and Abram was lonely and bored. This boy was hardly a danger and he didn’t look like the kind of kid that would go to the police. And it wasn’t like he knew anything about where Abram would go next or where he was before. California was just a quick stop for his mom to meet with a contact. There was no harm in teaching Andrew what he knew about lock picking.

“Okay. I’ll teach you. In exchange I want to know why you were so gloomy earlier.”

Andrew seemed to consider this for a long moment. “Deal.”

“Deal.”

Abram wasn’t very good yet at picking locks and he didn’t know anything about teaching either but he did his best to remember his mother’s lessons and pass them on to Andrew. Thankfully he was a quick learner and after an hour of trying and tentative explanations he manager to trick the lock on the door to the rooftop they were practising on. At Andrew’s almost smile Abram grinned triumphantly. He remembered his first lock and he couldn’t help but feel proud of Andrew and his own work at teaching him.

“Well, I fulfilled my half of the bargain; your turn now.”

The ghost of a smile dropped off of Andrew’s face and he looked grim again; Abram almost regretted bringing it up again.

“Cass wants to adopt me.” He said the added after a few seconds of confused silence from Abram “She’s my foster mother.”

“Oh” Abram said, not quite understanding what the problem was. “Don’t you want her to?”

Andrew glared at him. “I do.” He said curtly.

Now Abram was even more confused “What’s the problem then?”

“Oh no. I answered the first question; if you want to know more it’s going to cost you. A truth for a truth.” Andrew said.

That was a fair bargain but could Abram afford to take it? Sure, he was curious but his own truth was worth a lot more than most people’s. Then again the cryptic answers Andrew gave seemed to cost him too. Abram decided he didn’t have to answer Andrew’s questions if he didn’t want to. Of course he could just lie but for some reason he couldn’t bring himself to do that. He was just so tired of lying to everyone all the time.

“Fine. But if there’s a question I can’t answer I’ll say so and you can’t push it okay? I’ll do the same for you.”

“Works for me.” Andrew agreed after a few beats. “I’ll go first since I already answered two of your questions.” Andrew waited for Abram’s nod of agreement before resuming. “Why did you bring me up here?”

“I don’t know, I- I was bored and you looked as miserable as I felt I guess. I like rooftops; it’s quiet up here.” Abram says while getting closer to the edge and sitting a relatively safe distance from it. After a few moments Andrew settles down next to him. “Why did you want me to teach you how to pick a lock?”

“It’s a useful skill. It might come in handy someday.” Andrew said. Abram can tell that is only part of the truth but he doesn’t probe further. “What are you afraid of?”

Abram doesn’t know how to answer that question. There are so many things that scare him. His father and his men, everything and everyone around him that look even slightly out of place, his mother’s blows when he slips up and doesn’t follow her rules. “Knives.” He finally settled for, it was the truth, plain and simple. Abram was afraid of knives and what they could do in his father’s hands. He was afraid of knives and what _he_ could do with them. Abram was terrified that with a knife in his hand he would become his father. “What are _you_ afraid of?”

Andrew, once again, didn’t answer right away and took time to consider his answer “Heights.”

“Oh. Is this okay then?” Neil asked, jerking his head at the edge of the roof “We can go elsewhere if you want.”

“No, it’s okay.” Andrew answered thoughtfully “Why are you alone in a mall on a Saturday?”

“My mom had some errands to run so she left me here for the day.” Abram answered, it was technically the truth “What about you?”

“I had to get out of the house.”

“Because the adoption thing?”

“Yeah.”

“You said you wanted her to adopt you. So what’s the problem really?”

“I just learned I have a twin brother.”

“Really? Is he in the system too?” Abram asked; that sounded like the terrible plot of a shitty movie.

“No, his mom kept him.” Andrew said in a monotone. Abram could tell he was trying too hard not to show what he was feeling.

“That sucks.”

“Sure does.” Andrew was silent for a while and Abram was just content to look out at the bustling of the city below. “You owe me three questions.”

“Guess I do yeah. Well, ask away.”

“Why do you feel miserable?” Andrew asked and Abram was taken aback; not understanding where the question came from until he remembered what he had said earlier.

“We live in a cruel world I guess. I don’t remember the last time I felt happy. Maybe I never did.” He hasn’t been happy since he ran away with his mom and he didn’t think he ever was back in Baltimore with his father and his inner circle, lurking around with bloody knives.

“It’s not the world. It’s the people in it.”

“I suppose that’s true. My father is cruel. That’s why we ran away.” Abram didn’t know why he said that; it goes against everything his mother ever taught him. He just felt like he could trust Andrew; like he could confide in him and Andrew wouldn’t flinch away. Abram felt seen and understood and something else he couldn’t describe that loosened his tongue around Andrew.

“None of the foster families were good. The one I’m currently in is the worst so far though. Cass is good and kind and she’s the first person who ever saw something worth keeping in me. Her husband is nice too I guess. But their son-“ Andrew choked on the end of that sentence “He comes into my room at night” Andrew continued in a quiet whisper. It took a moment for Abram to catch up but when he did rage surged through him. He wanted to kill that man, whoever he was for hurting Andrew – a _child._ For once Abram did not care if that made him just like his father. Some people just deserved to die; slowly and painfully. Andrew isn’t done speaking yet though so Abram shoves the words down and listens because it’s the least he can do.

“I wanted Cass so bad that if that was the price to pay I was willing to pay it. I tried so hard to hold on; I have scars to prove it. But then Drake learned about Aaron. I won’t let him do to him what he did to me.” Abram’s heart broke for Andrew and all his pain. He decided he owed Andrew more of his own truth in exchange of the one offered up freely. So he told him his story and damn the consequences.

“My father works for the mob. He has a thing for knives. I saw him cut up people in tiny pieces; sometimes he used them on me though. One day my mother took me and we ran. We never stopped. We can’t because otherwise he’ll find us and kill us. He already caught up to us a few times.” Abram hesitated for a few second before taking his shirt off “I have scars too.”

Andrew looked over at him; at the scarred wasteland off his torso and none of the disgust or pity Abram expected showed on his face. There was only a grim understanding as his eyes landed on each and every scar and Abram told him the story behind it. When he was done; maybe an hour later – Abram didn’t know what time it was anymore – Andrew took off the black armbands he was wearing.

“You showed me your scars; it’s only fair you see mine.”

So Abram looked; on the pale expanse of Andrew’s bare forearms were scars, regular and systematic lines on his skin. Some were old and healed over but others were fresh and an angry red. Abram, with so many scars inflicted by others and with only one goal but survival, had never understood the appeal of self harm but in that moment he thought he could see why Andrew did it. He understood, in a profound, intimate way, that sometimes you had to do whatever it took to survive; no matter the consequences or collateral damage.

Abram nodded in acknowledgement before pointing at the sunflower adorning the inside of Andrew’s right wrist, “Is that your soul mark?”

“Yes. What’s yours?”

Abram hesitated for a few seconds – his mother had taught him to always hide his soul mark because it would be too easy to be recognized because of it – but he had already told Andrew his whole story; there was no point in hiding this last bit. He turned around so Andrew could see the house key etched into the skin of his left shoulder blade.

“Oh.” Breathed Andrew and when Abram turned back around there was a searching look in his eyes. Then Abram’s eyes dropped back to the sunflower and-

“ _Oh_.” Abram looked back up into Andrew’s eyes; honey gold meeting ice blue. “You’re my soul mate.”

“And you’re mine.” Andrew replied “Sucks to be us.”

Abram didn’t understand that last bit before he remembered that in a few hours he would have to go back to his mother and never come back while Andrew returned to the home he desperately wanted but could never have.

“Promise me something.” Abram said suddenly. “Promise me to take care of yourself and find something to live for. I’ll never have a chance to live a real life but you can. You’ll have to be happy for the both of us.”

“I promise. But you have to promise that if you are ever safe from your parents you’ll come back to me.”

“I promise.” Abram said before extending his hand towards Andrew. He hook his pinkie around Abram’s to seal their pact.

They stayed on the rooftop after that; talking about everything and nothing or not speaking at all for extended periods of time. It was easy, Abram thought, to talk to Andrew. It felt as natural as breathing or maybe even more because sometimes breathing was very hard. Abram wished they could stay on that rooftop forever; living in their bubble, closed off from the world and indifferent to the passing of time.

But eventually they both had to leave; the possibility they never see each other again hanging heavy in the air between them.

*****

After that afternoon Andrew sent a letter to his twin brother to tell him not to contact him again. Then he got himself sent to juvie for a year so the adoption couldn’t be approved. The disappointment in Cass’ eyes haunted him for a while. In prison he learned to play Exy. When he got out he went to live with Aaron and his mother Tilda because his uncle Luther hadn’t given up on him yet. But Tilda was a terrible mother to Aaron and he had made his brother a promise. And Andrew bid his time and planned and when the time was right he provoked the car accident that ended her life. Aaron hated him for it and Andrew let him. Then Nicky came back from Germany to take the twins in. Andrew thought he finally had something good going on. He worked night shifts at Eden’s Twilight and went to high school. When a group of four guys tried to beat Nicky up because he was gay Andrew beat them back to an inch of their lives. He escaped prison only thanks to a therapist who got him hooked on court ordered drugs that were Andrew personal hell.

Through the bad and the worse Andrew hung on to the memory of the blue eyed boy with scars to match Andrew’s own. When he couldn’t feel anything he’d go up to a rooftop and smoke. The feelings stirred up as much by his fear of heights as by the sight of the sunflower on his wrist. Andrew hung on to the promise he had made when he was thirteen and desperate.

When he was offered a full scholarship for himself and his family he took the chance and played Exy for Palmetto State University and Coach Wymack who let him come off the drugs on game nights.

*****

Abram ran and lied and survived because it was the only thing he could do. When his mother died he burned her body and buried her bones on a beach in California. It was ironic he thought that two of the most significant moments of his life should happen in a state he had spent so little time in.

Through the bad and the worse Abram hung on to the memory of a boy with honey gold eyes he had made a promise to. He hung on to the knowledge Andrew was out there somewhere; building a life for himself.

Abram became Neil Josten and went to high school in Millport, Arizona. There he played Exy because the sport made him feel alive and real. He watched from afar as Kevin Day broke his hand in a skiing accident and joined the Palmetto State Foxes. He observed as the media started talking about the other members of the team; in particular Andrew and Aaron Minyard. The headlines pictured Andrew as some kind a sociopath but Neil knew better. It made him sick to read the articles but he still did because it meant Andrew was keeping his promise.

Neil left Millport eventually and his father got out of prison and finally caught up to him. Abram thought he would die in that basement until Uncle Stuart came in and killed Nathan. When Abram thought back on that moment he smiled his father’s razor sharp grin.

Then Abram followed Stuart back to England until it was safe again for him to fly back to the States. Abram had a promise to keep.

So one cold winter morning Abram showed up on Andrew Minyard’s doorstep in Columbia.

“Took you long enough.” Andrew said when he saw him.

“You kept your promise. So I kept mine too.”

**Author's Note:**

> Well I hope you enjoyed reading this.  
> Kudos and comments are always greatly appreciated <3


End file.
